


One of Me with You

by Megtham



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Afterlife, Angst, Bars and Pubs, Birthday, Childhood, College, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Heaven, High School, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Old Age, Pining Rhett McLaughlin, Pseudo-happy ending, Rhett's POV, Snapshots, Songwriting, Weddings, light homophobia, mild panic attack
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 15:05:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10901820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Megtham/pseuds/Megtham
Summary: Snapshots in the life of one Rhett McLaughlin.(And one after it ends)





	One of Me with You

**Author's Note:**

> Crap-ton of angst ahead; Proceed with caution

Rhett’s old bones creak as he lowers himself onto the rocking chair on his back porch. The air around him is filled with childish shrieks of laughter as he watches his grandchildren play in the backyard. Shepherd and Locke are laughing by the tree they had loved as children, beers in hand. The shouts of laughter are interspersed with Barbara’s excited barks.

He leans back in his chair as the glowing warmth of the sun emerging from behind a cloud hits his face. The noises take him back to a time when he was young and happy.

He closes his eyes and remembers

* * *

Rhett remembers back when they were still little kids. The cold fingers of winter had retreated, leaving the freshness of spring behind. The air smelled warm and new, and the world was filled with color. Rhett and Link were playing at being knights in the park. They had their bike helmets on (for lack of a better helm) and sticks that they held at their side as if they had sword sheaths.

“Bow to me, Sir Smellybottom, and I shall let you go,” Rhett said in the most imperious voice he could muster, trying hard not to laugh at the very clever name he had given Link.

“Hey! You promised you’d give me a cool name! Knights have cool names!” Link protested.

Rhett smirked. “Don’t break character, Link!”

“Fine,” Link replied. It seemed he had found the perfect way to get Rhett back.

“Never, Sir Girl-kisser! I am the best knight in all the land and you shall never defeat me!” he said with a triumphant look on his face.

On hearing his name, Rhett stuck his tongue out and made a face. “That’s so much worse than Smellybottom! Girls are _gross_. They have cooties!” he closed his eyes and nodded sagely, like he was completely secure in his knowledge.

Link shrugged. “You’re not supposed to break character, Rhett. You said so yourself,” he grinned widely, reveling in his success at having annoyed Rhett.

Rhett pulled his stick out from its sheath and held it high in the air. “You shall pay for this, Sir Smellybottom” he declared and rushed forward.

Link immediately jumped into action. He pulled his stick out as well and ran to meet Rhett in the middle. Rhett’s (not so) vicious downward thrust was blocked by Link. They poked and jabbed at each other, trying to emulate the spirits of their ancestors (who, according to Rhett, were real knights)

Rhett taunted Link in the most old timey language he knew. “You shall not win, Sir! I have slain dragons in my day! You are no match for me!” he cried.

“Yeah? Well…” Link screwed his face up like he was trying to find a good enough comeback. Having not come up with anything, he settled for, “Your name is Girl-kisser!”

He burst out in a sudden fit of laughter, throwing his head back at the silly name. Rhett swiped the air, anticipating a block from Link that never came. Instead, his stick caught the side of Link’s neck.

He stumbled a little to the side, having been caught off guard and looked back at Rhett with wide eyes.

“Link!” Rhett cried and threw his stick down to rush over to him. He hastily removed Link’s helmet and tilted his head to one side to examine the gash.

It wasn’t too deep, but still deep enough that he could see drops of blood beading up at the seams of the wound.

“Oh Link, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” Rhett said. He hadn’t _meant_ to hurt Link. Link had to understand that.

“Is it bad?” Link asked, sounding frightened at the distress in Rhett’s voice.

Rhett tried his best to calm himself down. He didn’t want to scare Link any more than he already was. Pushing all the worry and fear out of his voice, he said “No, it’s tiny,” in the most convincing way he could.

It seemed Link didn’t believe him. That or he could see the trepidation in Rhett's eyes plain as day. He slowly raised a shaking hand to the side of his neck and winced when he felt the sharp pain. The blood he saw on his fingertips when he pulled them back didn’t seem to be doing him any favors.

Without warning, his eyes glazed over and his knees buckled as he fell to the grass. "Link!" Rhett shouted and dropped to his knees in front of him. He hastily grabbed Link's hands and wiped them down the front of his pants, sure that the sight of more blood would only make Link worse.

He pulled Link's head close to his chest and bent over him. "It's nothing, Link. You're so brave. You're fine, bo. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm  _sorry,_ " Rhett said, over and over again till he could convince Link (and himself) that he was all right. Link's breath slowly evened out. 

"I wanna go home, Rhett," Link said after an eternity.

"Of course, bo, anything you want," Rhett replied and helped Link up. The blood had clotted, but the skin around his neck was still an angry red. Looking at it, Rhett felt a fresh wave of guilt wash over him.

They walked the short distance to Link's house, and Link jumped into his mother's arms as soon as she was within reach. 

"What's wrong, baby?" she asked. Her eyes widened when she took in the streaks of red down Rhett's jeans.

"What happened to you?" she asked again, sounding much more frightened this time. Rhett felt like scum at this point, having made Mrs. Neal as well as Link distressed. 

"Mrs Neal, I-" he started confessing but he was interrupted by Link. "I fell down and scraped my neck, mom," he said, his face buried in her neck.

Rhett could only gape as Link's mother pulled back in order to inspect his neck. Having deemed it just a small scratch and 'nothing her baby couldn't handle', she cleaned the wound and stuck a GI Joe band aid on it.

"Thanks for taking care of him, Rhett," she aimed a smile his direction. Rhett felt his heart sink and sink until it settled somewhere below his stomach. He didn't deserve the thanks.

He forced a smile and said "You're welcome, Mrs Neal," anyway, in the polite way his parents had taught him to. 

He said goodbye to them and set out on the short walk to his own house one block away. As he walked, guilt and dismay and anger at himself chased each other around his mind. He felt worse than he ever had in the 9 years of his life.

The moment Link had turned to look at Rhett played over and over in his mind. There was a look of disbelief, as if he refused to accept that his best friend, Rhett, had hurt him. Rhett's stomach turned over and he wanted to run back to Link's house, hold him close and reassure him that Rhett never wanted to hurt him, that Rhett was sorry, sorry that he had caused him pain, that he hadn't been more careful.

Rhett ran the rest of the way to his house and up the stairs until he reached his room. He punched his pillow in his frustration and did it over and over until he couldn't anymore. He laid face down on his Superman covers and screwed his eyes shut as he tried to chase away the thoughts in his head.

It was then that he promised himself. Promised himself he would never, ever hurt Link again in any way. Promised himself he would protect him even if it meant something bad happening to Rhett. 

His head spun round and round, all his trains of thought always coming back to Link, till finally he fell asleep.

* * *

He remembers being a freshman in high school, bored out of his mind in Madame Lemaire's French class. He didn't wait for her to announce what the day's lesson was going to be; He knew he wasn't going to pay attention (he never did) and tore a sheet of paper from his French notebook to write down some of the ideas he had for their play 'Gutless Wonders'

"Psst! Link!" he whispered. When he got Link's attention, he threw the crumpled ball at him in the most inconspicuous way he could. When Link saw what it was, he leveled an exasperated look Rhett's way. He tilted his head towards Madame Lemaire, indicating that he had to pay attention.

Rhett painted a pleading expression on his face. He knew Link would give in if he pushed hard enough, and he wasn't overly worried about the class because he knew Link was good enough at French to understand what was going on even if he missed some of it. And it didn't matter if Rhett didn't pay attention because Link was going to teach him later anyway and Rhett was happy for any excuse to spend some extra time with Link.

He was so engrossed in their silent conversation that he didn't notice a student come in and give Madame Lemaire a message.

"Rhett," she called out. Rhett jumped, sure that he had been caught. 

"Oui, Madame?" he asked in his most innocent voice, throwing in the French to appease her, just in case she felt like punishing him with extra homework or something equally as bad.

"You have to go down to the front office," she said. Grateful for an excuse to get out of class, he grabbed his bag and bounded out the door, shrugging at Link's questioning look.

He got there to find Cole sitting outside the office. "What's up?" he asked.

"Dunno," Cole replied.

The door to Principal Foster's office opened and Rhett's dad walked out. His eyes were sunken in and he looked worn out and haggard. A sudden flood of apprehension and fear rushed through his veins.

"Dad?" Rhett looked at his dad, searching for a sign of what was wrong. 

"It's your mother. She's been in an accident," It seemed hard for him to get the words out.

" _What?"_ Rhett asked in disbelief. This couldn't be true. This was just a nightmare. Soon Rhett would wake up and go downstairs to find his mom singing the latest Beatles song while flipping pancakes on the stove.

"She's gone," his father said, voice barely above a whisper. Rhett shook his head. He refused to believe that anything had happened to his mom.

He soon found out that he was wrong.

The funeral was held at their home, in the backyard where Rhett had once broken his ankle and his mom had come rushing out at his screams of pain to comfort him. 

Her body was bruised and scratched all over, but the worst of it was concealed under her clothes. Her beautiful blonde hair had been brushed and laid out in a poor imitation of the way it cascaded down her shoulders.  _Used to_ cascade down her shoulders, Rhett corrected himself desolately.

It was a small affair; just the relatives that lived nearby and the Neals. Rhett walked through his house, every room reminding him of a cherished memory with his mom. He was in the kitchen when he finally gave in to the grief that threatened to crush him under its weight. 

He leaned back against the counter, just like he did when he was trying to swipe a taste of Mama Di's chocolate pie, and wept into his hands. Big, heaving sobs that made his throat pain and his head ache.

He felt someone walk into the room to stand in front of him and pull his head to their chest. He inhaled the comforting scent and immediately knew it was Link. 

"You're fine, bo. Everything's fine. We're good," Link whispered as Rhett sobbed into his chest. He felt tears hit the top of his head and realized that Link was crying as well. He felt ashamed at how selfish he was. Link had loved Mama Di like his own mother. He must have been grieving as well. And here he was comforting Rhett.

Rhett did his best to pull himself together and relinquished the tight hold he had around Link's waist. Link's face was just as tired and ashen as Rhett expected his own face to be. 

"Don't cry, Link," Rhett pleaded, wiping Link's tears from his face. "I'm fine, see?" he said as he arranged his face into the most comforting smile he could muster. 

"Now can I see you smile?" Rhett asked beseechingly. Link gave him a small smile. Rhett looked down and noticed the damp patch on Link's shirt where he had cried.

"Oh shit, I messed your shirt up," Rhett said apologetically. 

Link looked down at it. "Ew, gross!" he said like he was trying to imitate the snobby cheerleaders at their school, screwing his face up at the slimy mix of snot and tears down the front of his shirt. Rhett laughed at the look on his face. Happy at having made Rhett laugh, Link laughed too. 

Rhett wanted to freeze this moment, just the two of them, laughing, everyone and everything else forgotten, Link's attention solely on Rhett. Warmth spread all through his body and in a rush of affection he pressed his lips to Link's forehead.

Link grinned up at him, looking slightly taken aback but pleased all the same.

"Come on," he said and took Rhett's hand in his to lead him back to the funeral. And in that moment Rhett was grateful to God for bringing Link into his life. And he was grateful to Link for loving him and giving him all his strength. 

The weight of his grief didn't seem so heavy anymore.

* * *

Rhett remembers Link's birthday freshman year of college. He had spent the past week meticulously planning every minute of the day - he wanted to make Link's first birthday away from home a good one.

The day dawned bright and early. For the first time Rhett had woken up before his alarm. He rolled over in his bed and his eyes fell on the single across the room. Link was sleeping on it, the victor of a game of rock, paper, scissors the three of them played at the beginning of every semester to determine who was going to get the coveted single and who was going to have to sleep on the bunk bed.

Rhett threw back his covers and darted across the room, forgetting to pull on a shirt in his excitement.

He kneeled at the head of Link's bed. "Wakey, wakey, Linkypoo," he whispered close to Link's ear, sniggering at the nickname. When Link didn't move, he started poking and prodding at his back.

"Ugh, geroffme," Link mumbled, face half-hidden in his pillow.

"Come on, Link, it's a big day today! Wake up!" Rhett whined.

Link made a noise of resignation and turned over. He smiled when his eyes met Rhett's. The sunlight hitting his face emphasized the cerulean glow of his eyes, the flecks of green and yellow around his pupil brighter than ever.

"Hey," Link said, his voice croaky from sleep.

"Happy birthday, bo!" Rhett shouted and pounced on him. Link exhaled heavily, Rhett's weight having pushed all the air from his lungs. 

"Thanks, man," Link said, grinning fondly at Rhett's excitement. 

"Pipe down, assholes," Gregg mumbled from the top bunk. Rhett pulled back to flip him the bird, only to find that Gregg was already snoring again. 

There was a tingling where his bare chest had been pressed against Link's but he elected to ignore it, putting it down to anticipation for the coming day.

"I'm so excited, man! I've got it all planned out," Rhett said. 

"Yeah?"

"Mmhmm," Rhett nodded as he made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth. "And you won't believe the gift I got you,"

Link followed him inside and grabbed his own toothbrush. "What is it?" he asked, putting on an air of nonchalance to try and trick Rhett into telling him.

"Nuh uh. You ain't getting me this year," Rhett narrowed his eyes at Link.

"Well, I tried," Link replied, trying to look apologetic, the mischief shining in his eyes giving him away. Rhett rolled his eyes.

He looked in the mirror as they brushed side by side, and felt an immense, all-consuming happiness wash over him. Seeing Rhett grin around his toothbrush, Link hip checked him playfully. The feeling of Link's bare hip brushing his own was intoxicating, and Rhett moved to bump his hip against Link's in retaliation, but decided to keep them pressed together.

Link giggled but didn't move away.  _Today's gonna be good._

He left Link to shower while he went down to the communal kitchen to make Link breakfast in bed. Rhett didn't cook usually, but he was very good at it- a consequence of having had to cook for his family a lot since his mom passed away. He did love doing it, though. The sounds and smells always reminded him of her.

He got to work making Link his favorite breakfast- OJ, a cheese and bacon omelet, and, the crown jewel, a bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats. He put it all on a tray, grabbed a banana for his own breakfast and made his way back to their dorm.

Link's face lit up with a grin when he saw what Rhett had in his hands. 

"Mini Wheats!" he yelled in excitement when he saw the bowl before proceeding to go to town on it. Rhett chuckled and sat by Link, backs leaning against the headboard, bodies pressed together from shoulders to heels.

Having finished his bowl of cereal, Link turned his attention on the omelet. He groaned at the first bite, head thrown back and an expression of pure bliss on his face. Rhett's heart sped up in anticipation and something else he couldn't quite place. "This is so good!" he said, mouth full and pieces of egg flying everywhere. 

"Yeah, I know," Rhett said smugly. Link rolled his eyes.

"Wait, is that your breakfast?" Link asked incredulously when he noticed the banana in Rhett's hand. When he nodded, Link shook his head, making a 'tsk tsk' noise as if he was disappointed, the same way his mother used to.

Link cut off a piece of omelet and held the fork near Rhett's mouth. When Rhett stared at him he said, "What're you waiting for? The choo-choo train?" 

Rhett opened his mouth wordlessly and ate the food that was offered to him. Link continued feeding him, giving Rhett two bites for each one he ate himself. And they sat there, talking and laughing, Rhett feeling calm and exhilarated all at once, like he always did when he was alone with Link.

"What are we doing next?" Link asked when he was finished.

"Star Wars marathon, like always," Rhett replied. It had become a tradition for the both of them to watch the original trilogy every year on Link's birthday. "A few other guys are gonna be watching with us too," Rhett told him.

"Oh," Link said, and Rhett was surprised to find a note of disappointment in his voice.

Frowning, he asked, "Something wrong?"

"No, it's fine," Link said, sounding a little like he'd been caught at doing something wrong. His ears turned bright red.

Not wanting to make him uncomfortable, Rhett decided to let it go and grabbed the tray to put it back in the kitchen.

An hour later, the movie had started. Rhett and Gregg were sitting on either side of Link on the big couch in their suite. Mark and James, who lived down the hall, sat at the foot of the couch, a big bucket of popcorn in their hands. The curtains were drawn and the lights were off, flooding the room in darkness.

Half an hour into the movie, Link scooted closer to Rhett and lifted his arm so he could slide under it. Not having it in him to protest, Rhett let himself be maneuvered by Link. He laid his head on Rhett's chest and put his own right arm around Rhett's waist from behind. Rhett was sure Link could hear his frantically beating heart, and blushed when he heard Link chuckle low in his throat and squeeze his hip.

"Can we keep the grossness to a minimum here? I'm trying to watch a movie," Gregg said when he noticed the position they were in. Link flipped him the bird and settled in even closer to Rhett. 

Six hours later Link pulled away from him to sit up and stretch. Rhett pretended he didn't miss Link's presence and stood up to turn the TV off. 

"That was frigging amazing. I  _love_  Star Wars!" Link grinned. Seeing Link so happy, Rhett couldn't help chuckling. Link's grin morphed into laughter and before he knew it, both of them were laughing like maniacs while the other three looked on in confusion.

When their laughing fit had died down, Link asked, "What's next?" looking like an excited puppy. The first half of the day had raised his expectations for the rest of it.

"We can do gifts now and then later tonight we'll be going to The Hot Bird," Rhett said, and Link nodded approvingly. The Hot Bird was a local bar which was famous for its lax security, and therefore was a popular haunt of underage college students.

They spent the rest of the evening hanging out with everyone else. Link got to open his presents, most of which were food or cheap birthday cards because they were all broke as hell. Rhett was holding out, though. They always gave each other their presents last, when they were alone and everyone else was gone.

Soon it grew dark. Everyone went back to their dorms to change for their night out. Gregg had procured fake IDs for all five of them, and they were giddy with excitement.

When Link came out of the bathroom all dressed up, it was all Rhett could do not to stare. His shirt was so tight he might as well not have worn one. His pants clung to his long, lithe legs, showing off the sensual curve of his ass.

"Look fine?" Link asked, looking nervous.

"Uhh..." Rhett stammered.  _What is wrong with you?_  "Yeah, it's good!" he said, trying his best not to seem flustered.

Satisfied, Link turned away, and Rhett was presented with the broad expanse of his back. Rhett couldn't help running his eyes over his broad shoulders and tapering waist.  _What the fuck is happening?_ Rhett looked away hastily, confused at the reaction Link's body provoked in him.

When they got to the club, it was already packed with drunken college students. They had gotten past the security with almost no trouble, the bouncer having hardly looked at their fake IDs before sending them in. They made their way to the bar, pushing back against the tide of sweaty bodies.

Once they got there, Gregg took charge. "We'll have shots," he told the bartender. They each grabbed one when the tray was placed in front of them.

"To Link," Gregg raised the shot glass in the air before slamming it back. Rhett was no stranger to alcohol, having sneaked sips of wine or champagne at New Year's parties, but he had his misgivings about shots. Slightly apprehensive, Rhett threw his shot down his throat and felt it go straight to his head. He choked and was embarrassed for all of two seconds before he looked up to see everyone except Gregg doing the same.

Gregg chuckled. "Another round!" he declared. Not wanting to say no, Rhett nodded even though he didn't particularly like the taste. 

Two rounds later, they were all tipsy. Gregg had disappeared with some girl and Mark and James were on the dance floor. 

"Let's dance, Rhett," Link slurred, a flush high on his cheekbones. Without waiting for an answer he stood up, and abruptly sat down. "Make the world stop spinning, Rhett!" he whined. For some reason, Rhett found this very funny and slipped off his seat in his laughter.

When the world had turned itself right side up again, he looked over at Link to see a girl lean close to him and trail her fingers down his bicep. Anger burned through him and he moved to go stand near Link in a way that said  _you aren't wanted here._

Seeing Rhett look intimidatingly down at her, the girl shrugged and walked away. Link, who was so drunk he had barely noticed Rhett come up behind him, turned to look at what had chased the girl away. When he found Rhett, he smiled and leaned his head on his chest. Rhett threw a protective arm around Link's shoulders.

"Hey, Rhett?" Link looked up at him. "You wanna go back? This place isn't as fun as I expected and I really wanna see what you got me," 

"Sure, bo," Rhett had had enough of this place already, with its slutty girls and musty smell.

They ditched the others, sure that they wouldn't be missed; they were occupied with other things, namely, boobs and booze.

When they reached their dorm, Rhett took Link's hand and pulled him inside before gently pushing him onto his bed. 

"I have two things to give to you," Rhett said, before pulling a medium sized box out of the closet and retrieving his guitar from under his bed.

He gave Link the box first. Link shook the box near his ears, trying to figure out what was in it. Evidently it didn't give him any clues, because he made an impatient noise before bringing it to his lap and ripping into it with both hands. 

When he opened it, his eyes went wide. "Rhett," he said, at a loss for words. Inside was a silver Rolex with a black face. The numbers had been replaced with white dots, and in place of the three, there was a small display that showed the date. It had cost Rhett a fortune, and he had been saving up for over a year to give this to Link, but it was worth it to see the smile on his face.

"How- When-  _What?"_  Link looked up at him incredulously. Rhett laughed. "Happy Birthday, man,"

Link set the watch down carefully by his side before jumping on Rhett. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he laughed gleefully into Rhett's shoulder. 

"You're very welcome, bo," Rhett said. "I still have something else to give to you. Or, should I say, play for you," Link pulled back and looked at him curiously. When Rhett picked his guitar up, Link sat in front of Rhett, his full attention on him.

They were both a little more sober now, Link because of the surprise and Rhett because of his nervousness. 

"I wrote this song for you," Link's eyebrows went up. "This might be sort of a letdown after the Rolex but-"

"Just shut up and play, Rhett," Link interrupted.

Rhett's hands were shaking. It was the first time he had written something that wasn't funny, and he was nervous as hell. He cleared his throat and began to play.

"It must have been cold there in my shadow

To never have sunlight on your face

You were content to let me shine, that's your way

You always walked a step behind,"

A soft smile grew on Link's face. 

"Did you ever know that you're my hero?

You're everything I wish I could be

I could fly higher than an eagle

For you are the wind beneath my wings,"

He didn't look up for fear that Link would see the emotions written plain on his face. He had poured all the love he had for Link into the song, and he focused on making it perfect for him.

"It might have appeared to go unnoticed

But I've got it all here in my heart

I want you to know the truth, of course I know it

I would be nothing without you,"

He could feel his heart swell with happiness and affection for the man sitting in front of him.

"Fly, fly, fly high against the sky

So high I almost touch the sky

Thank you, thank you,

Thank God for you, the wind beneath my wings."

The last strains of the songs faded away and Rhett looked up. A charged silence had descended over the room as it buzzed with emotion. Link reached out to take the guitar out of Rhett's hands and place it to the side.

He slowly rose to his knees before straddling Rhett and wrapping his arms around his waist. "That was beautiful, bo," he said into Rhett's neck. Rhett tightened his hold on Link.

He was surprised when Link raised his head to place a soft kiss on Rhett's cheek. Then another one, harder, like the first kiss wasn't enough to show Rhett how much he loved him. He placed one last kiss on the side of Rhett's neck before burying his face in it.

The light scrape of stubble made Rhett shiver. He didn't know what he was feeling, but he did know it made him feel good. It made his heart fly. Made him feel like he could do anything as long as he had Link. He kissed Link's shoulder before whispering, "I love you, man,"

"I love you too, Rhett" Link smiled into his neck.

Here, fifty years later, Rhett thinks he should have known then. It's painfully obvious that he was irretrievably in love with his best friend. What if he had realized that what he was feeling was more than just platonic love? What if he had kissed Link in that tender moment?  _What if_ is a question he has asked himself a million times over the years. A question he never found the answer to. A question he has learned to live with.

* * *

He remembers the day of Link's wedding. Rhett had hardly slept (he told himself it was excitement) and woke up at the crack of dawn.

He got out of his bed and went to the window. The sky was a beautiful, bright blue but he could see sprawling dark clouds in the distance. Now when he thinks about it, it feels like a sign. Like he should have seen it all coming.

He was supposed to drive to the church along with Link and his father. After a quick shower, he put on his suit and looked at himself in the mirror. His eyes were red rimmed and it was painfully obvious that he hadn't slept at all.

Rhett couldn't bring himself to be overly bothered. "Fuck it."he muttered to himself and grabbed his keys so he could drive to Link's house. When he got there, Link was already decked out in a navy blue tuxedo. His hair was gelled back, save a few errant strands that fell lightly across his forehead. He was pacing around the living room, eyes on the ground and hands tugging nervously at the black bowtie at his Adam's apple.

"Hey, bo," Rhett said. Link looked up and his eyes softened. 

"Hey, Rhett," he said as he walked up to him and gave him a hug. 

"You look good. Christy sure is a lucky girl," Rhett said. There was a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach and he was momentarily confused. He put it behind him.

"Yeah?" Link laughed. "Thanks man, I could really use the reassurance," he replied.

"Anytime, buddyroll," Rhett said and clapped him on the back. "Are we ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah, let me just get Dad," Link replied before yelling for his Dad to hurry up.

They decided to wait for Mr Neal in the car. Link was still jittery, and his knee jumped as he tried to calm himself down.

"What's wrong?" Rhett asked, and he only had to ask him once. Over fifteen years of best friendship meant that they could tell each other anything.

"I don't know if I'll be a good husband," Link said. "What if one day Christy realizes she's too good for me and leaves?" 

His eyes begged Rhett for consolation.  _How could anyone be too good for you? How could you think that anyone would ever want to leave you?_ "Link, you  _know_  she loves you," Rhett said, instead of the million other things he wanted to say.

"But what if?" Link said, still not convinced.

"Then you'll know that she's an idiot for leaving you. Besides, you'll have me," Rhett said.

Link chuckled weakly. "A poor replacement, but I'll take it," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Har, har," Rhett said looking unimpressed.

"I was kidding. I know you'll always be there for me," Link said and Rhett was overwhelmed by the sincerity and love he heard in his voice. 

They stared at each other for a long time, neither one willing to break the moment. Rhett saw Link's tongue dart out to lick his lips and blushed a deep red, suddenly overly aware of their close proximity. 

"I'm here, boys! Let's go," Mr Neal's voice interrupted.

Rhett jumped and cleared his throat.  _What was that?_ He turned to face the road, shoving the key in ignition. He didn't know what had just happened; he wasn't sure he wanted to.

He kept his eyes on the road and tried hard to drive the unwelcome and confusing thoughts out of his mind.

The church was beautiful. It was the same one the McLaughlins and the Neals went to every Sunday. It stood tall and white and pristine.

Inside, the light shining through the stained glass windows cast a beautiful radiance over the whole place. The church was empty except for a cluster of groomsmen who stood by the altar.

Link made his way to the dressing room while Rhett geared up to welcome the guests along with the other groomsmen. Slowly, the guests trickled in. Christy arrived with her mom and maid of honor and gave Rhett a kiss on the cheek before rushing away to get her wedding dress on.

Half an hour later, most of the guests were situated and Rhett decided to go find out how Link was holding up. 

"Hey, Link? We're ten minutes away from the ceremony. Are you okay?" he asked.

"Better than ever. I can't wait," Link replied with a smile on his face. 

"That's great, bo," Rhett said and ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach as he walked over to Link to press a kiss to his forehead. "I know you're gonna be great,"

Link was smiling up at him when he pulled back.

Ten minutes later Rhett was walking down the aisle beside Christy's sister. He grinned comfortingly at Link and received a wink in return. Heart speeding up, he went to stand beside him.

The guests rose in one sweeping motion when Christy walked in. She was radiant in her beautiful white gown, and the smile on her face as she looked at Link made her a vision to behold. It almost seemed like she couldn't wait to be near him again even though they had been separated only a night.

Rhett knew that feeling almost all too well.

When she reached Link, she gave him a quick kiss, as if she couldn't help herself, and the crowd tittered in amusement. She grinned sheepishly and pulled back to stand opposite him as the ceremony began.

Soon they got to their vows. "Christy, on this day, I vow to always keep you safe. I vow to make you laugh every day of your life and to do everything I can to make you happy, even if it's at the cost of my own happiness. I promise to tell you every single day how beautiful you are and how lucky I feel that you're mine. I swear to never fall out of love with you, and do everything I can to deserve your love. My heart is yours, from this day, until my last."

Hearing those words come out of Link's mouth set Rhett's mind whirring. Suddenly, he realized what had been happening. He understood why every little touch felt electric. Why every time Link talked about Christy he felt his heart sinking. Why he felt so possessive of him. Why right at this moment he wanted to drag Link away from Christy and this wedding and run far away where no one could find them ever again.

He loved him. Had loved him since the day he promised himself that he would protect him.

The realization overwhelmed Rhett. His heart was in his throat and he had the irrational thought that someone was going to look at his face and know everything that was going on in his head. He felt dirty.

He looked up at the happy couple, wanting nothing more than to get away from that place as soon as possible. Christy had finished her vows and they were now exchanging rings.

"If anyone objects to this wedding, speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest said and Rhett had the crazy urge to go forward and announce to everyone that Link should be his.

He shook his head as if to clear it. If he did that, Link would never speak to him again and his father would be beside himself with rage. There would be a place reserved for him in the deepest darkest corner of Hell. 

Life without Link would be painful. But watching him love someone else would be even more so. He didn't think he would be able to look on as Link built his own family while Rhett was on the sidelines, longing for him, never being able to find someone he would love quite as much as he loved him. 

And now every twinge of jealousy, every stab of pain grew manifold. He couldn't take it anymore. He didn't think he could endure it the rest of his life.

He decided he needed to leave. If he had gotten through his mother's death, he would get through living without his best friend and soul mate.

The reception had been a cheerful affair for everyone except Rhett, who tried to look happy for his best friend. He stared blankly on as Link and Christy had their first dance as man and wife. His heart clenched when Link surprised Christy by serenading her but he smiled encouragingly when Link looked at him.

But that was about as much as Rhett could take. As soon as he got the chance, he pulled Link behind the building. 

"What's up, Rhett?" Link asked, a worried look on his face.

_I love you. I wish you were marrying me. You're the most beautiful person I've ever known and my heart is yours._ But Rhett didn't have it in him to be that selfish. He had made a promise to himself that he wouldn't hurt Link, and he intended to keep it.

_But you're leaving him._

Rhett ignored the voices in his head. 

"It's nothing. I'm just feeling a little tired so I think I'm gonna take off," Rhett said, trying his best to sound nonchalant.

"Oh," Link looked disappointed. "Well, it  _has_ been a long day," he reasoned.

_Tell me to stay. Tell me you love me. Don't let me go. I don't want to go._

_"_ Yeah, I'm pretty burned out," he said instead. Link nodded.

Rhett hugged him tight. He screwed his eyes shut against the tears that were threatening to spill. He kissed the top of Link's head, and Link turned his head to kiss Rhett's chest just over his heart. The spot burned like it had been branded. Rhett pulled away.

"Are you sure you're okay, Rhett?" Link asked him. Rhett just nodded, sure that his voice would give him away if he spoke. His lips stretched into a shaky smile.

Link smiled back at him and Rhett started walking backwards, not wanting to stop looking at Link's face.

"Turn around, you're gonna fall!" Link giggled.

And Rhett did. He turned around and forced himself not to look back. He walked to his car and got in and drove without hesitation, knowing that one moment of doubt could lead to a lifetime of pain. 

He didn't know where he was going. He would figure things out as he went. His house was empty since his dad and Cole were at the wedding, and he was able to get his things and leave without any questions. He left a note, not explaining anything but telling them not to worry.

He didn't know what he was going to do. He didn't know if he would ever be able to live a happy life. He didn't know if he deserved one. He didn't know if he was saving Link from himself or if it was the other way round. 

He did know that life went on. That the world would keep spinning, even if he had lost the light of his life. 

Rain pattered down on the windshield and tears blurred his vision as he realized that it was the first time Link had given him something other than happiness. 

* * *

Rhett remembers three years later. He had moved to California, as far away as he could get from North Carolina and all the painful and happy memories it held.

He met Jessie and learned that she had a big smile and an even bigger heart. He felt like maybe he had another chance, and he wasn't going to let this one go.

He would wake up to dark hair obscuring his vision and for a moment he would feel an overwhelming sense of  _him._  And then he would blink and it would be Jessie in his arms.

A year later, he moved in with her. He would come home to her humming while she organized that one drawer where they dumped everything. For a second he would be back in  _his_ room, watching him obsessively clean out his cluttered cabinet. Then he would make himself forget and walk up behind her and squeeze her tight to his chest. She would laugh and turn around in his arms to kiss him and he would marvel at how lucky he had got.

He would imagine an alternate universe in which he grew old with Link. Or another one in which he had never fallen in love with him and they had kept their oath, built an empire around themselves. Or yet another one in which he had never met Link (he liked the last one the least)

Some nights were harder than others. His dreams would be filled with hisvoice and hisscent. And he resigned himself to the fact that he would never get back the piece of his heart he lost, but he could always be with someone who held the pieces together the best she could.

One night Rhett decided to stop running from him _._  He told Jessie the story of another angel with coal black hair and sparkling blue eyes who'd once stolen a piece of his heart, never to give it back. He kept expecting disgust to mar her beautiful features, but only found love and sympathy. He cried as she held him and he felt his love for her swell until it spilled over in one smooth motion of "Will you marry me?"

He held Locke in his arms, red faced and squalling and promised himself, the same promise he had made at 9, to protect him like his life depended on it. And this time, he wasn't going to break it.

He told his sons, when his hair was starting to grey, that if they ever loved someone, they should never let them go. That they should hold on tight, because his biggest fear in life was his sons having the same regrets and living with the same pain he lived with every day of his life.

He knew he wouldn't have a 'happily ever after'. But there was an 'ever after' and he was more than happy that he could have that.

He lived his life the best he could. He knew there would always be a part of him that belonged to  _him,_  and somehow he had found a way to make his peace with that. He was content.

* * *

 

As he looks at his family around him, a single tear falls from his eyes. He is happy _,_ he tells himself. But he thinks he's ready to let go.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees someone walk towards him. He turns to find an old man who seems familiar come and kneel in front of him with far more ease than a normal old man could. He looks translucent, but the hand he places on Rhett's knee exudes a solid warmth.

"Link?" he says, eyes wide and moving frantically to take in the man he hasn't seen in over fifty years.

He smiles brightly. He has deep wrinkles around his mouth and on his forehead. His hair is white as the snow they used to play in as children. His eyes crinkle up behind turtle shell glasses that do nothing to hide the brightness of life they still have.

And suddenly, Rhett is crying. Silent tears are streaming down his face, for the joy he feels at seeing the love of his life again, for the sorrow and regret he feels for all the missed years. Link cradles his face with both palms, unspilled tears glistening in his eyes. He has an ethereal glow about him that adds to the mesmerizing beauty he has even in old age.

"I'm sorry, Link, I'm sorry, I should never have left, I'm  _so_ sorry _,"_ Rhett babbles, his words incoherent and tripping over each other in their haste.

"Shhhh..." Link says, pressing his forehead against Rhett's. "It's okay, baby," he says and Rhett can't believe that this is happening, is so sure that this is in his head, that any moment Link's going to vanish into the air like so much smoke.

So he holds him. Holds him tight and tells him, "Take me with you," and he doesn't care where Link takes him, as long as he’s there with him. 

Link stands up slowly, holding Rhett's hands and pulling him up. As Rhett rises, he is surprised to find the absence of the pain that usually accompanies his every movement. 

Then the world shifts and changes, and he's back in the cow pasture in Buies Creek. They are the only two people for miles. Everything is the same, except it's different, and  _perfect._  He looks over at Link and finds that he's no longer the tired old man Rhett had seen earlier.

They're twenty three again, right where they left off. Link's thick black hair is swept back from his beautiful face. He pulls Rhett close and whispers, "Don't leave me again, bo," as tears fall down his face.

And the same feeling Rhett had when he was nine years old and hurt Link for the first time returns. But this time, he isn't giving in. He isn't going to let go again.

"Never, Link," he says, putting his hands on Link's hips and placing a tender kiss on each of his eyelids. 

Link smiles softly, happier than Rhett has ever seen him in all the years they'd been together. "I love you, Rhett," he says and ecstasy takes over Rhett's mind. He laughs and lifts Link by his waist to spin him around in his joy.

Link throws his head back and laughs too, hands gripping Rhett's shoulders to steady himself.

"I love you, I love you, I love you!" Rhett shouts and everything is perfect. Rhett feels whole in a way he never had when he was alive.  

And as soon as he puts Link down, Link is pulling him in by the back of his neck to kiss him. When their lips meet for the first time, Rhett feels his heart sing and his head spin and he knowsthat he's in heaven.

Link pulls back and stares at Rhett for a long time, love and longing in his eyes. He pulls Rhett by his hand to the rocks they'd sat on as children. Link settles down on the small rock and pats the surface of the bigger one.

"So, what've you been up to, bo?" Link asks, the same way he used to, and Rhett lets out a low laugh. He sits down and reaches out to take Link's hand.

He tells him about Jessie, and Locke and Shep and his grandchildren. He tells him about swapping his (in retrospect, embarrassing) chin strap for a full beard. He tells him about spoiling Barbara. He tells him how much he missed him, how much he regretted missing out on all those years he could have held and loved him.

Link wipes Rhett's tears and places a soft kiss on the back of Rhett's hand.

"We have a lifetime now, Rhett. No more regrets," Link says.

"No more regrets," Rhett agrees and pulls Link onto his lap to lay his head on his chest. Link threads his fingers through Rhett's hair and bends close to whisper sweet nothings into his ear.

Rhett doesn't know what he did to deserve this. He doesn't care. Link is here, and he loves him, and that's enough for Rhett.

He remembers all the good times, and all the bad, and then he puts them all out of his mind. 

Because in the end, Rhett McLaughlin  _did_ live happily ever after.

 

**Author's Note:**

> The song Rhett plays for Link on his birthday is "Wind beneath my wings" by Bette Middler. I imagine it sounding like [this](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vUTa0wsrVZY) cover
> 
> Title is from ["Beam me up"](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PFYm9LKsuUo) by Pink which is perfect for this fic when you think about it
> 
> Full disclosure: I know nothing about drinking/being drunk and I think this fact was painfully obvious in my writing. Sorry about that!
> 
> If you got the tiny Band of Brothers reference I threw in there, I love you.
> 
> Lastly, this is my first attempt at Rhink fanfic. I really, really hope you liked it because I was fairly happy with what this turned out to be.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> Find me on [tumblr](https://nerdonn.tumblr.com)


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